


Another Side: Darkness and Light

by Irhaboggles



Category: Original Work
Genre: Anthology, Dark, Darkness, Diary, Journal, Pensive, Philosophy, Plotless, Rambling, Random - Freeform, Rants, Short Stories, Short Story, Stream of Consciousness, Thinking, Weird, light - Freeform, thoughtful, thoughts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:07:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22063768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Irhaboggles/pseuds/Irhaboggles
Summary: Rambling, philisophical thoughts posted in the form of unrelated short stories. Updated whenever. Enjoy if you can. Indulge in some silly philosophy about Light and Dark, and their historical relationship to morality. This is the first book in my Random Philosophy Series.
Kudos: 2





	1. PSA From the Dark Side

Hello! Just your friendly neighborhood shadow here! As you might've guessed from the title, this is just a little PSA from me, and the rest of my crew, to let all of you people out there know that we are not as bad as we seem. You see, we "Dark Folk" have been getting a lot of bad press of late and, while I do admit that some of it is warranted, I must say that I feel like we are taking more than our fair share of flak from society. I mean think about it. When you say "shadow", you tend to think of darkness and evil, dishonesty and danger. It's all about what horrible, evil, ugly monsters are lurking just out of sight, waiting to snatch you up and eat you, right?

And then when you say "darkness", you make a lot of the same associations: evil, dishonesty and danger. Maybe death and despair. It's hardly ever anything good. It's all sinister and gloomy. You'd never say "darkness" and think peace, love, safety, trust, honesty, openness and joy. No, those are usually words you'd think about when you said something like "light".

Now, while I agree that some of these associations are valid, I do want to argue that it isn't totally fair to only use us to symbolize villainy and evil and sin. Please don't forget that even the darkness has its good sides. Don't believe me? Well then, allow me to show you:

Darkness can represent safety and secrecy rather than dishonesty and deception.

Darkness can represent protection, freedom, trust, honesty and even courage! It's the one place where you can always be your truest self without fear of judgements. I mean, there's a reason the phrase "What you are in the dark" exists. It implies that the truest self is not the one seen under a glaring spotlight, but the one seen under the safety and cover of darkness.

Similarly, as we like to "see" it, darkness represents a new level of honesty. In the dark, you cannot see, so you must rely on your ears rather than your eyes. You must rely on what you hear rather than what you see. Of course, your ears can deceive you as well, but a lot of judgement comes from people looking at other people and seeing their physical differences and casting them aside. When you are forced to listen rather than to only see, you can come to a deeper understanding than what sight alone could offer.

So let the darkness wrap you in its shroud and hold you close when no one else will. The darkness doesn't discriminate. We all look the same here.

It's also peace, quiet and solitude. It's safety from the loud chaos of the light.

And on the flip side, there are many crimes that the light has committed, yet we don't seem to talk about those as much.

For one thing, the light is harsh and hard. It is judgmental and blinding. How many people fall victim to delusions of grandeur, blinded by their own pride and ego? They perceive the world through eyes rather than ears and miss many important messages that life has to offer.

And the old stereotype about being attacked in a dark alleyway? While that CAN happen, statistics show that, at least in terms of sexual assault, you are more likely to experience it from someone you know, rather than from that shady stranger in the dark alleyway. You are more likely to be hurt by a friend than a stranger, a person of the Light rather than the Dark.

So tell me now, where is it safer to tread? Is the dark really that dangerous? Or is it all only a clever illusion? The real danger, it seems, lies right within your very own home, right before your very eyes, under the very light you seem to so admire…

There is no freedom in the blinding, scorching white rays of the light. You are just as incapable of seeing in the light as you are in the dark.

And on a more metaphorical level, the light is not solid. It can be bent and manipulated, just as much as a shadow can.

And doesn't the concept of being "all-seeing" sound a little… dictatorial? And yet, that's exactly what the light symbolizes! All-seeing, all-knowing. There are so secrets. There is nowhere to hide. Not in the Light… Doesn't seem so safe now, does it? The spotlight isn't exactly the most fun place to be under. It's far too glaring and intimidating. There is no way to escape its all-encompassing rays.

So yes. In the same way the Dark Folk have been misrepresented and antagonized, the People of the Light have been overrepresented in terms of their goodness, superiority, morality, purity and perfection. For example, when you say "light", you think of visibility, truth, warmth, peace, intellect, goodness and purity. It's all bright, shiny and pretty. It's trustworthy, safe and attractive. The light is kind and illuminating. It represents knowledge, love, hope, and all manner of other good things. But stop and think for a moment, does the Light really deserve ALL that good press? I argue no. In fact, the Light can be just as toxic as the Dark, as I have stated above.

And what about religion? One of the most prominent deities in modern society has sometimes been called the God of Light, Love and Life. He is the one we worship as the creator and king of all, the leader and father to everything in existence. And he is always shrouded in bright lights of white and gold. He is the source of all good things in the universe, and the source of all life… and light. He is intrinsically and constantly compared to and paired up with the Light, holy and good and pure.

But stop for a minute. Doesn't His Holy Book expressly say that he created the darkness too? And he declared them both good! So why, then, do we seem to forget this? He created Day and Night and pronounced them both good. And he created Good and Evil. So why discredit one as unholy and write the other as righteous? Especially since this God of Light is supposed to have created it all, from the brightest to the darkest.

And there are other verses in Scripture that attest to this God's work with the darkness. He shall hide his followers and children under the shadow of his wings, in a place of safety where no harm can befall them. And another verse claims that the Devil will appear to mortal men as an Angel of the Light in order to tempt them away from the good and proper path. And why would the Devil come as an Angel of the Light? In order to deceive the nations. After all, the eyes are easy to trick.

And the color of light itself, the color white, has often represented the very same things that the Light symbolizes, like purity, truth, honesty, openness, innocence and morality. It is a color of good character, of heroes and saints. Soft and pure as snow, or as a dove's gentle wing… White is good, heroic and honest. It is clean, clear, pure and untouched.

Then black has always represented the same thing that the Darkness has: sins and secrecy. Black is dark, deceptive and cruel. It is wicked. It is aggressive and soiled. But why? Why really? They are only colors after all. And perhaps there is a biological basis. After all, humanity was made to live in the light and not the dark. We are diurnal, not nocturnal. But have we not moved beyond biological basis? Or are these fears and genetics so deep-seeded that even in the 21st century, we do anything to fear the dark, including attaching morality to it? It's just a quantity of light after all. And yet still, we have managed to tie personalities, character traits and moral codes to the Light (or lack thereof)!

And then another thing perpetually seen as good, holy and healing is medicine. But where does medicine really come from? Well, modern medicine in particular has found its birth in laboratories. And the tests done to create it weren't always very moral. Some of our greatest findings in modern medicine came from the most vile, inhumane, deceitful tests ever imagined. Not very good, pure and healing now, huh? Of course not every medicinal and scientific discovery came from a bad place, but quite a bit of it did and that is what I am trying to explain to you all today. I am trying to argue that in order to save lives, you must lose some first. The results of science's more vile experiments speak to that belief. Medicine is just as much a product of death as it is of life.

And all of this goes to say that the Darkness has been unfairly represented for eons. While I agree that some of the hate is valid, it is inaccurate to forget our good deeds and paint the Light as the sole source of goodness and morality in the world. The Light isn't exactly the world's most just system either. After all, how many cases has history seen where a crime was brought to the light only for the people of justice to fail to deliver upon their titles? How many criminals got to walk free because of a broken justice system even after their crimes were brought to the Light? If the Light were really as noble and just and honorable as it claimed, there would never be a mistrial, nor would a guilty man ever walk free. Yet history has shown us a very different tale than the idyllic one I have just proposed to you now. Why is that?

Like I said, the Light is far from perfect. To deny this fact is dangerous, because it persuades the mind that the Light can do no wrong, and the moment one refuses to question an institution of which they are part of, the truest of troubles begins. The Light is not good, and the Dark is not evil. It is only what we make of them and how we choose to interpret and use them. Each side has committed acts of goodness and villainy. It is not a one-sided affair, and we would all be wise to remember that. So now all I ask of you is to heed this little PSA from the Dark Side and remember that we Dark Folk have hearts and moral compasses too. Don't be so quick to discredit the things we do, or to over-credit the things the Light does. We are balanced, both equal and well-matched in our sins and virtues. Remember that, I implore you…

But honestly, that's about all I've got for now! So I guess I can end it here… Well, anyway, this has been a PSA from the Dark Side and this is your friendly neighborhood shadow, signing off!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Starting off 2020, I'm going to be periodically posting all the random, philisophical BS my crazy, stupid mind can cook up. This is just the first of many random little thoughts I've had and this is where we're starting it off: questioning the moral assignments of Dark and Light. (Feel free to judge and mock the pretentious topic and the threadbare plot. I just needed an excuse to post some rambling thoughts of mine, so here we are! Happy 2020 y'all! LOL!)


	2. Fall Into the Dark

Her name meant 'light', and she lived up to her name all too well. For as long as she could remember, she had always been a part of the light. She was always something to gawk at, something to stare at, something to ogle and study and watch and observe and admire. She was always to be seen, but never to be heard. She was always deeply entrenched in the visual world. Bright lights surrounded her every step. Camera flashes came from newsmen. Spotlights came on stages and for TV appearances. And sometimes there was even the blinding flashlight of a police officer keeping an eye on her. It was all flare and fame, constant attention. Headlights, highlights, spotlights, bright lights. All eyes were always on her.

From her earliest days as a child without a father, to her adolescent years as a social pariah with a powerful family, to her scandalous adult life where she was constantly surrounded by political, legal, social and financial intrigue and mystique, she had forever been drowned in the light. Her family life was the largest source of the scandal and the light, all eyes always on them, as well as her. She was ever under the eye of the press and public, forever in the blinding light of judgement. She was scrutinized, stalked and studied. Always seen, never heard. Bright, white, burning light, watching and harsh and judgmental. Perfectionism at its peak. No rest, no peace, no sanctuary, no truth. Just bright, white lies. Always.

And then there was the other girl, a girl of shadows and darkness, forever hidden from the world and never seen at all. Crouching, hiding, disguising, blending in. She stood steadily in darkness, trying to hide herself. She wanted to remain invisible and unseen. She was calm, quiet, wary and boring. She was simple, secretive, meek and humble. She remained ignored, unimportant and unnoticed. It was just the way she liked it! No eyes, no lights, nobody watching or staring or pointing. No attention or attraction. Just silence and invisibility and darkness. There was no one to see her because of how well she hid in the shadows. In fact, some variations of her name even meant "black" or "dark"! But then the Woman of the Light saw her. One look was all it took, then they both fell in love.

The darkness and the light became attracted to one another. The light was enchanted by the beauty and serenity of the dark. She was jealous of its freedom, peace, privacy, silence and rest. She was thrilled that there was a world where she could escape to, hide from all the glaring eyes of the light. She fell into the dark and fell in love with it and never looked back. She was not going to miss the light when it was gone. Instead, after that first little meeting in a glaringly white office, the Woman of the Light fell in love with the Woman of the Dark. And it was mutual.

The darkness was entranced by the light's bright white beauty and brilliance, but more importantly, she was fascinated by the light's stories, and how miserable she was in such a bright world. The darkness listened to her stories and then invited her in to the safety of the shadows, finally freeing her from the misery and stress that came from living in a blinding, blazing world. The darkness whisked her away into the cool, calm, clean, nonjudgmental night where she could finally be happy and free with the girl she loved.

The bright white tower she was so long trapped in finally crumbled away and she was free to roam and run in the flat, even darkness, no longer a shining pillar stealing attention when she didn't want it. Her tall, bright white world was, blessedly, defeated by the safety and uniformity of the night. Now she could run wild and free with the shadows, escaping across to the darkest corners of the city, no longer a prisoner in her bright white tower. No one could see her now. She could finally be herself.

Darkness and light fell in love, each enchanted by the other. When the two souls were intertwined, neither looked back even once as they moved forward together, finally happy in their own skins now that they had each other. They were complementary and complete. The dark now had someone who knew and saw her fully, yet still respected her secrets. The Woman of the Light finally had a safe space and an escape, and she had found it with the Woman of the Dark, and of the shadows.

And the light had the same. She had someone to shield her from the glaring, judgmental spotlight. She someone to help her hide and escape. She had someone to help her keep her cover, just as she would do in return. Now at last, they were both happy and complete and, most importantly of all, they were _together_. The Woman of the Light had fallen into the dark, and she had never felt freer.

_Even if the rest of this family stands steadily in the light, you will always fall into the dark._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Based off Supergirl 4x15 when Lex and Lena are talking about Lena's mom and Lex compares his half of the family to the darkness while he compares Lena to the light. Even if it's true, the painfully boring, basic, cliché dichotomy legit got me so annoyed that I wrote this the day after I watched that episode. I just didn't post it until right now because it read more like an original drabble than a Supergirl fanfic, so that's why it's here instead of on a fanfic site. 
> 
> But either way, hope you liked it. I just wanted to subvert things and put the Luthors in the light and the heroes in the dark, but keep their moralities the same and go from there. Here's the result!


	3. Night Falls

Hello there, and welcome to the humble little town of Night Falls! It sure is a beautiful place, huh? We find peace and protection here, in our own little darkened corner of Heaven. The night is our shroud. Nothing can harm us while we hide away, safe in the shadows. I mean, I admit that it's a bit hard to see, but the moonlight and starlight should be more than enough to give you the proper illumination. There's something so enchanting about traveling through the city at night. The moon is so big, bright and beautiful! It is always just clear enough for us to always find our way back home. And if the moon fails us, we always have the stars. The constellations are always so bright and clear! You don't need any sort of telescope to see them.

Oh, but it is just so enchanting and magical to walk out on the streets at night, the dark velvety sky over your head like a giant blanket. It is so much nicer than the glaring light of day. The sun is too hot and bright. It hurts the eyes and skin. And the sky is that overbearing shade of cerulean. But here in Night Falls, the sky is always a deep, rich color of blue-black-purple. Like I said before, it resembles a big velvety blanket! What could ever compare to such divine mystery and wonder? The darkness is so much more sacred and attractive than the day.

We walk these darkened streets with wide eyes and straightened backs. There is always so much to see and do and never much to fear. There is nothing scary lurking within the black alleyways. The only monsters you need fear are the ones who glare hideously at you during the day. But at night? There is no such thing as fear. There are no monsters. Everything comes to life at night, and it is all so beautiful, magnificent and wonderful! It is all fun and merry. There is only laughter and adventure, song and serenity, family and fun.

As you race through the darkened cobblestone streets to explore the many shops and buildings our town has to offer, you will never feel bored or sad or lonely or scared. There is always something to do and there is always someone else out and exploring the moonlit roads. It's pure bliss and freedom, to run through the cool dark night, the stars twinkling overhead as the moon reflects off the stones and water. The town seems to cozy when it is dark out. Midnight is the most beautiful time. It's soft, but bustling. It's dark, but full of life!

The night is just so mystic and lovely, and we enjoy walking shadowy paths. It's far more fun to trace them and explore than to simply walk along a row of stones under the fiery glare of the sun. There is no fun in that. The light scares off the peace of the darkness, which we all belong to so happily. The true adventure lies in exploring the darkness and reveling in its all-encompassing embrace. The shadows dance with the flickering candle lights in the houses. The cool stillness is relaxing and reliving and it makes it easier to cool off after you've been running around the market square. Welcome to Night Falls, and please enjoy your wonderful stay! As night falls, we rise!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Just wanted to write a semi-romantic description of a classical little town in some vaguely Victorian-era setting, romanticizing the darkness rather than making it creepy or smoggy or threatening.


	4. Rain

Oh, it rains quite frequently here. In fact, scarcely do we ever see a sunny day! But that's just how we like it here. The rain is beautiful and nice. We like the way it shines upon the pavement, and cools and soothes the tongue and skin and citizens bustle to and fro about their daily business. There is no burden to be found within Heaven, especially not when we are blessed with rain. Rain is good and beautiful and vital. We celebrate the rains. We dance with the water and sing with the thunder. The sun is dry and scorching. Only funerals are held in such unforgiving light. But weddings and births and other joyous ceremonies _must_ be held in the rain, it is tradition! These happy events _must_ be held in a cool and clean downpour. As the water surges across the attendees and patrons, happiness fills the air like mist. Only rain may attend our best and brightest ceremonies. Only rain can make any of us happy enough to fully appreciate them. We love the rain, and the rain loves us.

There is nothing quite as refreshing or beautiful as a wedding in the rain. There is nothing as fitting or life-giving as a baby shower in the rain. There is nothing as triumphant or celebratory as a graduation in the rain. As the water comes down like a gift from Heaven, it washes over us, cleaning and cooling us so that we may full celebrate and enjoy ourselves without overdoing it. The lightning lights our way and the thunder keeps us company. The rain washes the streets and houses (and us) and we laugh! Because it tickles! It's cool and refreshing, the rain is. It's fun to swim around and jump into large puddles, splashing water all over the place. We have so many rain-based games in this sweet little town!

This town loves the cool, silvery drops of Heaven, and the way they feed the planet. Our town has invented an array of rain dances, rain parties and rain games, each of them, as their names imply, centered around the rain. We know how to use it to our advantage and make it fun and pretty, instead of something dull or annoying. And we find the shades of gray of the sky to be soft and enchanting, not at all morose or ugly. That is the sky on a sunny day: flat, dimensionless, and overbearingly oppressive. The sun is scorching, the sky is bland. When it is dry and bright out, it's blinding and blustery. But when it's raining, you see so many wonderful and magnificent clouds. There are different shades of gray and even the most uniform of clouds has a multitude of different shapes in it. Can a clear sky brag the same thing? Nope! So why would you ever prefer the sun to the rain? Please, come and stay a storm with us! It's magical and mystical and I think that, in this town, you'll grow to love it too! Let the rain dances begin! (I hope you brought your galoshes, and if not, we have more than enough to go around!) Please, enjoy your stay!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Even though this has nothing to do with the darkness, because it's such a similar style as my last chapter, I'm putting this here. 
> 
> (Basically just imagine the same town as before, but rainy all the time rather than dark. This is basically an AU of the last chapter).


	5. But Not In the Light

I know you people fear the dark. You never know what might be lurking in it. You can't see very well, if at all. And that loss of sense, that loss of power and control, can be scary. When you feel like you're trapped and vulnerable, relying only on your ears to help you, it can be easy for the fear and anxiety to start increasing. And then as you grow accustomed to the dark, you struggle to make out shapes moving in the distance. But (and this is a rare instance where I _will_ admit to some fault and deception in the darkness) shadows can be tricky. Is the object you see _really_ that tall? That wide? That distorted? Are those things that look like claws actually claws? Or is it just a trick of the light? Can you trust your eyes, or are their limited capabilities betraying you?

All this uncertainty, no doubt, makes you even more nervous. The fear and anxiety start increasing even more. And then your ears begin to betray you as well, as you over-rely on them despite them being even weaker than your eyes. What are all those little noises you suddenly start noticing? Has that beeping always been there? What's that ominous drone in the distance? Is the creaking just the house settling, or is there someone there? Is it just machinery and appliances? Or is there something else creeping through your house, trying to stay just as undetected…

The floorboard squeak. Is it natural, or is it another pair of feet? Is that shadow really moving, or is it just you that's moving, creating the illusion that you're being followed? Is that distant droning that almost sounds like a rumble an old heater in the basement? Or is something groaning? That black, taillike shadow, is it really a tail? Or when you rounded the corner, did the ends of your own furniture create that illusion? Is the rustling and rattling coming from the outside? Or is something moving around, trying to avoid you? There's a large shape in the distance, but it's in the kitchen. Could it just be your fridge?

And yet still, you carry on. Why? Why in the name of all of creation would you keep walking through a dark and (seemingly) empty house if it does nothing but terrify you? Why do you not run or hide? Why do you keep exploring? What do you expect to find and what do you think you can do when you find it? The smarter option would be to run, and find help, not keep walking around in a potentially dangerous area. What gives you the strength (or stupidity) to keep on looking? I think it is the darkness that gives you courage. The very same thing that renders you so wary, paranoid and distrustful now is the very same thing that keeps you going at the same time, despite all of your fears.

But I think that makes a lot of sense, actually. In the darkness, you can never be sure of anything. But that can be a good thing! You can use it to remind yourself that monsters aren't real. You can remind yourself that you're safe. You can tell yourself that you're just seeing things because you're scared, and your eyes are so limited in the darkness. You can use the ambiguity of the shadows to your own advantage and turn the tables. Turn uncertainty into optimism. Turn fear into bravery. Tell yourself it's just a trick of the light! In the darkness, you can deny your fears and anxieties. Your rationalizations can replace your doubt and distrust. In the darkness, you can hide safely and rest easy.

You cast off the negative connotations of the dark. You remember everything I have ever told you before. You feel better now, and the quietness of the house returns. This time, peace follows after. And since you've finally stopped your restless search, the shadows aren't moving anymore. You did it. You turn on the light. And there it is.

It's tall, skinny and hairless. It's deathly pale. It looks vaguely like a skeleton, save for what appears to be a thin layer of skin pulled over its frame. It has no eyes. The skin around the sockets just… falls inward… into the darkness… forever. It has slits for nostrils, but no discernable nose. At first, you think it doesn't even have a mouth. But then a thin slit, finer than a scalpel's cut, starts to appear on the lower end of its… skull. It opens up wider and wider and wider. There are no teeth and there is no tongue. Just a black hole. Endless. Hungry. Opened wide.

And as it continues opening its gaping maw, jaws starting to unhinge like a snake's, its face beings to distort, as if the process of opening its mouth so wide causes the rest of the skin on its skull to start stretching painfully. Now it looks like the creature is in pain, the skin around the eye sockets being pulled downward to mimic an expression of agony. The jaw finally stops extending once its halfway down the creature's skeletal torso. The end of that torso tapers off into a centipede-like body, but instead of having centipede feet, it possesses spider legs and human arms in equal number. They twitch, but do not move. The tail end of the creature's body, in contrast to its bony upper half, looks fleshy, bulbous and disgustingly warm. The legs poke out of the fleshy sides at random.

Then two bony arms reach out to you. The left one is short and misshapen, as if it did not fully develop. The other has a hand that seems far too big and heavy for such a thin arm. The nails on that hand are repulsive, large yellowed squares with cracks down the middle. Then the legs finally begin to propel it forward, towards you. The spider legs clack gently against the wooden floors and the hands drag along in a soft brushing sound. The mouth has started to widen again, dragging the skin around the eyes down even more, contorting the thing's expression even further…

At least, in the darkness, you could deny this. At least, in the darkness, you can deny any fears or dangers that might be lurking in the shadows. But not in the light. In the light, there is nothing but the cold, hard truth. There is only the harsh reality of what lies before you now. You cannot run or hide or lie or deny in the light. Maybe in the shadows, you could find refuge and courage. But not in the light. All that exists in the light is an ugly truth, something you wish to cower from, but now have no more room to deny. You can ignore it no longer. You must face it head-on. You have no other choice. Not anymore. You forfeited that right the second you turned the lights on.

At least, in the darkness, you can hide. And you could deny this monstrous truth. But not in the light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Based on another creepypasta I can't remember the name or author of (let me know if you find it), this basically points out why the light is scarier than the dark, because you have to face the ugly truth if you're standing in the light. 
> 
> (This is similar to "Aren't You Glad You Didn't Turn On the Lights?")


End file.
